LAKELAND, Fla. — The last time Edmundo Sosa made an appearance in center field — two innings on April 5, 2023, as a defensive substitution — he had to borrow an outfield glove from Kyle Schwarber.
In Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers, Sosa started in center — with his own glove this time.
The Phillies hope that with continued outfield reps this spring, the utility infielder will develop into a right-handed outfield bench option. Against the Tigers, he made his first two catches of the spring. Sosa had previously played left field on Thursday but didn’t get the chance to make a play.
“I feel much better. I’m seeing the ball much better,” Sosa said. “I’m seeing the angles much better. My reactions are quicker.”
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Sosa said he was approached this offseason about seeing time in the outfield this spring. The Phillies had experimented with Sosa there in springs past, but it had never materialized into a regular role. Now with Weston Wilson sidelined with a moderate oblique strain, it’s become more urgent.
Sosa, 28, spends his offseason in the Tampa, Fla., area, where he worked a bit on ball tracking and outfield routes but had to juggle that preparation with his hitting and infield defense.
“Right now I’m trying to adapt to the running game,” he said. “In the outfield, you’ve got to run toward the ball and not stop, whereas in the infield you’ve got to run toward the ball, you stop to make the play, and then you continue moving. So I’m trying to adjust my legs to this new game in the outfield.”
Who stood out: Johan Rojas, still at designated hitter because of a shoulder injury, singled to right field for the Phillies’ only hit of the day. He didn’t slide into second base as the Tigers attempted to turn a double play and was hit with the ball on the throw to first. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Rojas is fine and was already not scheduled to play on Sunday.
Rodolfo Castro barreled up a fastball to deep center field, but Tigers outfielder Wenceel Pérez made a leaping catch at the warning track.
On the mound: Aaron Nola made his first start of the spring and struck out two across two innings. He allowed one hit off his changeup, a comebacker up the middle that just missed his head.
“That was good that that didn’t hit any part of my body,” Nola said. “But I feel like, for the most part, I commanded my pitches, changeup, besides that one. But felt pretty good.”
Nola did not throw any knuckle curves, typically his go-to and the most effective pitch in his arsenal. He said his focus during his first appearance was establishing his fastball command.
Tyler Phillips pitched two innings and struggled with command early on, walking two and giving up a single for the Tigers’ only run of the game.
Quotable: “He’s using the entire field,” Thomson said of Rojas. “Everything’s calmed down. He’s under control, and that’s what we want. We’re going to get him to start bunting here. He’s working on it every day, but we’ll get him to start bunting here in games pretty soon.”
On deck: The Phillies split up on Sunday, with one squad taking on the Orioles at BayCare Ballpark at 1:05 p.m. and the other heading to Dunedin, Fla., to face the Blue Jays at 1:07 p.m. (NBCSP, 94.1 WIP). Cristopher Sánchez is scheduled to start against Baltimore, while Taijuan Walker will start on the road against Toronto.